"But I have heard that magnesian lime is bad for soils," said Mr.
Thornton.

"That is true," Percy replied, "and so is ordinary lime bad for
soils. The Germans say: 'Lime makes the fathers rich but the
children poor.' The English saying is:

'Lime and lime without manure
Will make both farm and farmer poor.'

"Both of these national proverbs are correct for common, every-day
lime; but you know, do you not, that limestone soils are usually
very good and very durable soils?"

"That's what I've always heard," replied Mr. Thornton.

"Well, there is no danger whatever from using too much limestone;
and all the information thus far secured shows that magnesian
limestone is even better than the pure calcium limestone. I know two
Illinois farmers who are using large quantities of ground magnesian
limestone, and one of them has applied as much as twenty tons per
acre. On that land his corn crop was good for eighty bushels per
acre this year. Of course that heavy application was more than was
needed, but initial applications of four or five tons are very
satisfactory, and these should be followed by about two tons per
acre every four to six years."

Mr. Thornton took his guest to Blairville that evening as they had
planned and he assured Percy that should he decide to purchase land